Wednesday 18 November 2009

Clothes recycling week...Day 2...Handmade Hankies, Drawstring Bags...

I knew if I said I would post something each day it would never happen - I'm far too disorganised for such a thing!

Yesterday I made some handkerchiefs out of some old PJ bottoms that I'd kept because I liked the pattern. It was really easy - I just cut them into squares and hemmed them on my sewing machine. I also made some little drawstring bags from this purple sparkly netting that was once the top layer of a skirt I had in my more teenage-gothic years! I'm going to use these to hold loose veggies together when I'm food shopping. Also really easy - I just cut it into 2 rectangles, sewed up the sides and threaded ribbon (from the charity shop) through what used to be the hem of the skirt to make the drawstring.
I'll try to get round to posting what I'm making today later! See you then :)

7 comments:

  1. I'd love to see your bags - been thinking of sewing some too!!

    And you are so brave! I am somewhat afraid of hemming! /sigh/ And the whole sewing machine, to be honest! It looks so complicated, with all the buttons! (And my Mum isn't the most patient instructor!)

    Did you go to a class to learn or something?

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  2. And YAY for the hankies too!

    lol for making hankies out of jammies! would never have thought of that either! :)

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  3. Layla, don't be afraid of the sewing machine! It is your friend! Does it have a manual with pictures to show you how to use it (then you don't have to deal with any impatient type mother instructions - I Sooo know that feeling!) Although I think my mum must have taught me when I was little, then recently I bought my own machine, it's a really basic one so it's quite easy now I've got the hang of it!

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  4. A manual and your own machine - sounds like a good idea!!

    I'll check for the manual!
    I have my eyes on Grandma's pedal-run machine! How's that for zero electricity?! :)
    She still uses it occasionally though.. :)

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  5. It's a very good idea! If you can't find the manual then sometimes you can google instuctions for the type of machine you have and some helpful person will have posted them on the internet for you!

    Maybe your grandma can be persuaded to share? Let us know if she does! Those no power machines are great - zero energy and a free workout, I have one in the loft that you have to wind a handle while sewing to get it work (only found after I'd bought a new machine - typically!) and it definately gave me some new muscles!!

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  6. WOW! You have a wind-it machine!! I didn't know such exist too!
    Check if it has a pedal too?
    I thought they all had a pedal and a wind-it-wheel? (Maybe it's different technology though? Do post a pic if you can?:)

    Grandma probably could share, but she lives 30km away from us, and there's no way I'd transport the big pile there! :) Maybe I could try it on a tiny sample though, hmm?

    Thanks for posting the pics!
    Those PJs look comfy, I bet you could make comfy cloth pads out of that too? (Or similar comfy cotton?)
    Very interesting about the bags - who'd thought they actually don't have to be colorless indeed and can be black or any other color!! :)
    Do tell how it goes when shopping with it? :)

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  7. The sewing machine is a bit like the one in the first post on this page http://grandmasatticquilting.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
    but mines not all gold and swirly, it's just black - it was free though so can't really complain!

    I haven't made the switch to cloth pads yet, to my shame, when I move out I definately will but my mum can just about cope with hankies in her washing machine nevermind anything else (sample conversation - mum 'what are you making' me 'handkerchiefs' mum 'urgh'!!!) but you're right, it would have made lovely fabric for reusable pads - next time!! Do you make your own? it looks a bit tricky from the instructions on the web, I'd love to know how if you do?

    Hopefully the shop people will be able to see through my bags - I think I'll use them for obvious items (like carrots or something theres only one variety of, rather than apples where you wouldnt be able to see what type it was through the bag) then make some more when some paler netty fabric comes my way. I do like these ones though - why not be a bit glittery while saving the planet!

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